Letter: Iraq war, World War II cannot be compared

Friday, April 20, 2007 | 7:22 a.m.

While the majority of the American people have lost faith in the war in Iraq, the Bush administration and its backers still speak of victory. They attempt to shame those having lost faith by comparing Iraq with World War II. The bone of contention: the resolve of the American people to support that war. Let's examine the comparison.

After that infamous day, Dec. 7, 1941, war was declared on Japan and then Germany. At that time the American people knew what victory would look like. On May 8, 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender. Later that year, on Aug. 15, Japan signed an unconditional surrender ending World War II. Less than four years after the beginning of that war, Japan and Germany had a democratic form of government and were on their way to economic recovery.

More than four years ago, on March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq to eliminate one part of the "Axis of Evil." On May 2, 2003, President Bush stood on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, beneath a sign reading "Mission Accomplished," and declared the fall of Baghdad. The Iraqi people now have a democratic form of government, yet war still exists, and American lives are still being lost.

In World War II the American people had resolve because they knew what victory would look like. They also had faith in President Roosevelt's administration. Today they don't know what victory will look like. They've also lost faith in the Bush administration. For this reason they no longer have resolve.

Terry E Peele, Las Vegas